"Today, we'll begin hand-to-hand combat training."
Hikari's words fell the moment Kazuki stepped into the training grounds, extinguishing any lingering hope that the day might be easier than the previous ones.
"This discipline is just as important—if not more so—than magic or swordsmanship."
Kazuki stiffened slightly. He had heard Hikari mention this before, but hearing it stated so plainly sent a faint chill down his spine.
Earlier that morning, Ayame Kuroha had brought him a special training outfit prepared by Hikari. It was lighter than his usual clothes, reinforced at key points but flexible enough to allow unrestricted movement. At the time, Kazuki had felt uneasy about its purpose.
Now, he understood why.
"I want you to master close-quarters combat without mana first," Hikari continued. "Then with mana. And finally, I'll teach you how to apply those techniques in real combat scenarios—using terrain, positioning, and your opponent's habits to your advantage."
Kazuki listened carefully, resisting the urge to interrupt. He had learned by now that interruptions only prolonged the suffering.
Up until that point, it almost sounded as if Hikari were simply preparing him to defend himself.
That illusion shattered instantly.
"Of course," Hikari added casually, "you have no say in this."
He smiled.
"Even if you don't want to learn, I'll beat it into you until these techniques become instinct."
The grin on his face was unmistakably demonic.
Kazuki sighed.
So he really intends to engrave this into my bones…
There was no escape. No negotiation. No compromise.
He truly had been unfortunate enough to fall into this man's clutches.
"The most important aspect of close-quarters combat," Hikari continued, "is breathing."
He stepped closer, tapping Kazuki's chest lightly with two fingers.
"Lose control of your breath, and you lose control of your body. Panic in close combat is a guaranteed early grave."
Kazuki chose to ignore the casual fatalism and focus on the lesson itself.
"It'll be easier to demonstrate than to drown you in theory," Hikari said, shifting his posture smoothly into a combat stance.
"As before, you are not to use mana," he added, eyes gleaming. "But you may use the terrain."
He smirked.
"If you can."
Kazuki exhaled slowly.
By now, he had accepted a simple truth: defeating Hikari was impossible. The man existed on an entirely different plane of combat ability.
Still, he steadied himself.
Seeing that Kazuki didn't react to the provocation, Hikari clicked his tongue, clearly disappointed, and raised a hand.
"Begin."
The instant the word left his mouth—
Hikari vanished.
Kazuki's pupils contracted.
hup
He leapt upward instinctively, trying to gain visual control of the battlefield.
It was a mistake.
Ahhkk—!
A devastating impact slammed into his back midair.
The world spun violently as he crashed into the ground.
Thud.
Pain erupted through his spine, knocking the air from his lungs. Kazuki rolled instinctively, forcing himself upright despite the agony.
Before he could take even a single step—
Crack.
Hikari's fist buried itself into his chest.
A sharp, sickening sensation tore through his ribcage.
Kazuki was sent flying backward like a discarded doll, his body hurtling straight toward the house.
I'm going to—!
[Stone Bulwark]
The ground surged upward at the last moment, forming a solid earthen wall.
SLAM—!
Kazuki collided with it full-force.
"Blergh—!"
Blood spilled from his mouth as he slumped forward, barely staying conscious. His vision blurred, but his jaw clenched stubbornly.
Not yet…
Tack.
He pushed off the wall, using it as leverage, forcing his battered body forward.
Momentum was all he had left.
Twisting midair, Kazuki swung his leg in a desperate kick aimed squarely at Hikari's head.
Instead of dodging, Hikari stepped in.
He raised his right elbow and braced it with his left hand.
For a split second, Kazuki didn't understand—
CREAK.
BREAK.
"AAARGH!!!"
Agony exploded through his leg.
Kazuki's scream tore from his throat as his bones snapped under the impact. He crashed to the ground, clutching his leg, body convulsing from the pain.
"It was commendable that you continued attacking even after being injured," Hikari said calmly.
He looked down at Kazuki with the expression of a patient, disappointed grandfather.
"But you must learn when to abandon frontal assaults against superior opponents."
Kazuki could barely hear him through the ringing in his ears.
Light gathered around Hikari's hand.
[Divine Heal]
Warm radiance enveloped Kazuki's body.
The pain receded rapidly as shattered bones knit themselves together, torn muscle fibers repairing with impossible speed. Even the lingering fatigue within his body eased as mana flooded back into his system.
"You should feel better now," Hikari said. "We'll resume in two minutes."
Kazuki lay there, staring at the sky, breathing heavily.
"In the next spar," Hikari continued, already resetting the training ground, "I'll focus purely on defense."
He glanced back.
"You may use any tactic you want. Terrain, misdirection, feints."
His eyes sharpened.
"No mana."
Kazuki didn't respond.
Instead, he watched.
Watched Hikari's stance.
His breathing.
The subtle shifts of weight that preceded movement.
Only now—after enduring repeated punishment—did Kazuki begin to truly see it.
Hikari wasn't merely strong.
His body was a weapon honed through decades of combat.
Two minutes passed far too quickly.
"Break's over," Hikari said. "Don't waste any more time."
Kazuki pushed himself to his feet, muscles screaming in protest.
He took a stance.
It's going to be a long day…
The thought barely finished forming before Hikari moved again.